Swiss Cross Update- Dirt Road Mods

With my 'cross season over after a single race I've made some changes to the Swiss Cross setup.  'Cross bikes are often praised for their versatility and I have to say I have mixed feelings about that.  Yes, their ability to go on and off road is pretty cool, but as I've said before I don't think fender mounts or rack eyelets have a place on any self-respecting race bike.  Purpose-built Ridley race bikes have only a single water bottle mount and Richard Sachs 'cross frames have none.


You can see here that I've wavered a bit on my fundamentalist position with two bottle cages (or bidons if you prefer) but the rest of the bike is entirely as I...well, as I intended to race it anyway.  I only have so many jacket pockets so as much as I'd like to be a purist about the bottle cages it's just not feasible when it's below 50 degrees and I need to carry some additional layers.  

Since I first built it up I've swapped out the stem and post for the Ritchey WCS wet red models you see here.  I had misgivings about getting red components as they're likely to stick out on any other bike in the stable but since they match the Swiss Cross perfectly I felt it was completely appropriate.  The more I look at them the more I like them, and with minimal fiddling I've been able to run the stem in the downward position although it's still pretty far from being slammed.  
 

I've also swapped out the tubular EA70's for the Ritchey WCS Zeta clinchers.  So far those wheels have been great with both the 33 mm 'cross tires and the Clement Strada LLGs pictured here.  Although there's a lack of quality pavement around here there are miles upon miles of dirt roads.   I was looking for a wide, lightly siped tread for exploring said dirt roads and found the Strada.  After a few rides it's proven to be a solid performer and although it's claimed to be a full 28 mm width it only measures out to 26 mm on a standard 19 mm wide rim.  That means there's the added benefit of being able to use this same wheel/tire setup on my road bike without any additional fiddling.  

I'm still not a fan of cantilevers, but if you're going to run them I suggest giving the Avid Shorty Ultimates serious consideration.  They're a modern machined aluminum version of the classic mid-90's mountain bike cantilever and offer the best feel and stopping power of anything I've tried.  The setup is unique but straightforward after you read the instructions- they don't take long to setup but they are quite a bit different from the TRPs and Shimanos I've ridden recently.    

 And of course there's plenty of clearance.  My experiments with getting the Redline setup for dirt road duty were a horrendous failure mainly because the frame was so stiff but also because I used 23c tires.  The Swiss Cross is a notably smoother ride, but the wider tires at significantly lower pressure also deserve some credit.  The extra tire width also makes the massive clearance slightly less obnoxious. 

More red.  I'm really getting into this bike, and the white cables/tape/hoods combo is really growing on me next to the all red frame/fork/stem/post.  There was an internal struggle about where to put my Pro-35 decals so I opted went for the more subtle finishing tape accent and non-drive chainstay placement.   

2012 Sponsor Announcement- Maxxis

Most things will be staying the same next year as far as my bike and equipment sponsors go, but I am going to be riding different tires.  For the 2012 season I will be racing and training on Maxxis.

Given my well-documented tire geekery I'm really excited to pour through the numerous width/compound/tread options that Maxxis has on offer.  I've been running the Ikon 29 x 2.2 since late summer and it's been great.  That tire with the Aspen and the Beaver, the 29er specific mud tire are going to make a great 3 option race quiver.  

I'd also like to thank Kenda for their support over the last three years.  They have been great to me and are a strong advocate for professional and amateur racing alike, and the Small Block 8 and Nevegal are among my favorite all time tires. 

Race Report- 6 Hours of Pat's Peak

Last Saturday was 6 Hours of Pat's Peak, and I'm glad it's in the rear view mirror.  The picture above illustrates both the start and how well my preparation went in the week leading up to the race (I'm in the Moots kit in the foreground- notice how far ahead the rest of the field is already at this point).  

All of the other endurance races I've done are the traditional point-to-point format, which is basically one big  50+ mile loop, and although the time on the bike isn't that different for a time-based event, the rules and strategy are.  There are some inherent benefits to doing laps on a 5 mile course, namely that you get to know the terrain and that it's much easier to stage technical support and fuel stops.  There's also less chance you'll go off course like I've done in the Hampshire 100 and the VT 50.  The downside is that you can feel like you're treading ground and it's easier to mentally fatigue once you get accustomed to your surroundings. 

The week leading up the race I was wracked by my usual pre-race existential neuroticism.  Was I ready for a ski area race?  Would doing repeated long climbs really be a good idea?  Was 800 vertical feet per lap going to kill me?  Was I going to get my ass kicked?  Was there anything on the course that suited my strengths?  Would the weather hold out?

And I procrastinated.  It was a busy week with work and training, but I also procrastinated to the point where I was still getting my shit together at 10 PM Friday night.  I made sure the bike was ready earlier in the week, and I made sure I had all of the necessary supplies, but I didn't do much to help myself out otherwise.  Miraculously I got to bed around 11 PM. 

The forecast first called for a high in the upper 60's and a 30% chance of rain.  Then it was high of 65, 40% chance of rain.  Then it was a high of 59, 50% chance of rain.  I had been running the Kenda Karma exclusively, and so far I was happy with its performance in both wet and dry conditions.  With the mixed bag forecast and semi-unknown terrain I decided to stay with the Karma as it's versatile enough to handle almost anything, and it's light enough to climb well.   

On Saturday it quickly became apparent that the question wasn't if it would rain, but rather how much and for how long.  As I drove down to Henniker I was glad that I had packed my PVC rain shell, shoe covers, embrocation and an assortment of cycling caps and other wet weather gear. 

Normally it's important to stay cool during a mountain bike race, and most equipment like helmets, shoes and gloves are designed with that goal in mind.  Fortunately I didn’t have to worry about overheating, but I was a little concerned about how I would stay warm enough for 6 hours riding at endurance pace.  I settled on the usual jersey and shorts combo, but opted for shoe covers, a light wind shell and a cycling cap for my warmup.  Oh, and of course embrocation. 

If you're familiar with the rules of multi-lap endurance racing then you may want to skip down 3 paragraphs, pass "GO" and collect $200. 

The basic rules for a 6 hour are derived from 24 hour race guidelines, and they're an interesting mix of NASCAR-style pit support, Johnny T-era NORBA XC and ultra-endurance.  In a 24 hour race it's likely that racers will take breaks throughout the event to fuel up, fix their bikes or even take a nap- especially if they're competing solo.  Normally the fueling happens at aid stations where prearranged drop bags are waiting for you, and any repairs are done on course with tools you carry or have stashed in a drop bag.  With a 24 you have the ability to setup a single stash for fuel, tools and spare parts, and you can stop on any lap to access it. 

The most notable difference is that you can leave the course during the race, which I've never been able to do for any other event.  As long as I completed at least 1 lap I could leave my bike at my car, take a shower and sleep in the lodge for a couple hours.  The only catch is that you need to be on course when the race ends or you DNF, but how you spend your time between the start and finish is entirely up to you.  Also you need to dismount every lap and walk/run/crawl/trot/skip through the timing tent to record your lap. 

Solo riders were given a baton, which in my case was a small wooden dowel marked with electrical tape with my number written on it.  This baton needed to be shown to the race officials as I jogged through the timing tent pushing my bike.  More on that later. 

The start was a Le Mans free-for-all, with teams and solo racers of all ages, categories and race distances running for their bikes like soldiers in Bronze Age combat, minus the war whoops. 

I'm a shitty runner, as the picture above will show, and I promptly converted a prime starting spot on the front row to the back end of the field.  Most of that was by design- I knew the course was going to wear people down and that this was going to be race of attrition.  I also didn't want to burn too many matches, pull a muscle or god forbid stumble and fall in my superlight carbon-soled race slippers.  Those shoes are wicked light, but they're oil slick sketchy for anything other than being clipped in and pedaling.

So I started up the first climb at the back of the field, which is pretty normal for me.  What I didn't plan on was being behind racers of all abilities (i.e. chuckleheads) being in front of me and slowing me down on the singletrack.   Still, endurance races aren't decided by the holeshot, so I patiently made my way around other racers and slowly moved up. 

The course was actually pretty well laid out, and for a ski area it was not just the typical uphill grinding climb then puckering descent.  There were definitely two major sections- one up, one down, but the course was broken up enough to be interesting.  It didn’t feel at all like I was just climbing, which is a compliment to the course designers. 

Through lap 1 I was mainly just trying to get my bearings and stay upright while keeping the balance between passing riders and not burning too many matches.  My lap 1 time was alright, but it was clear that it was going to be all mud, all day long. 

My first trip around the course was a little unnerving as everything was slick.  I was also a little anxious about the dismount/run/wave baton/remount routine necessary for each lap, but it went fine and the timers didn't seem to care whether or not I could find my solo racer baton- merely the act of fumbling for it was enough. 

On lap 2 I kept a steady tempo and rode slightly more smoothly over the obstacles since I could actually pick my line and wasn't riding in traffic.  There were still some other riders around, but I was starting to settle in and find my groove.  I stopped briefly and grabbed to 2 full water bottles and filled my jersey pocket with GU packets.  I caught a rider on the climb whom I'd passed on the climb on the previous lap.  He'd then passed me on the downhill, and I was reeling him in on the uphill.  What surprised me was how much time he put on me on the downhill, but also how quickly I motored by him on the climb.  That's right- "how quickly I motored by him on the climb."  I never thought I'd write that sentence comparing myself to a mailbox, late alone another cyclist. 

As I headed out on lap 3 I could see that the course was really starting to degrade, and sections that had been muddy but rideable were taking progressively more effort with each lap.  Amazingly enough I was catching riders on the climbs, and I suppose that's mainly because I had settled in on riding steady on most of the course but would go into the pain cave on three distinct short uphill sections per lap.  It wasn't that I was even climbing well, but I was mentally ready for the effort and knew where I could recover.  I also let some air out of my tires and went from being mostly kinda OK on the slick stuff to feeling like fucking Spider Man.  Not Turn off the Dark Spider Man, but the legit web-slinging hero from comic books of yore.  It made an immeasurable difference on the downhill. 

My fueling plan was to grab 2 bottles every other lap, which meant that I cruised out on lap 4 without stopping.  The course itself was slowing down dramatically, but I felt the best on laps 3 and 4, and had the conditions been stable I bet I would have turned in my best lap times then as well.  Lap 4 was otherwise unassuming- I was alone for all of it.  I passed an Embrocation rider when he flatted just moments after he'd motored by me. 

What's cool about the solo category is that people are very supportive.  I had some questionable interactions with some team riders who were out for blood with their hairy legs and 5" travel bikes, but the solo guys were all fit, relaxed and respectful.  

My quick pit stop included a quick bike check, and I doused the drivetrain with some water to clean it before applying some T9.  I grabbed my new bottles from the cooler, chugged a Red Bull, stuffed 4 more Gus in my pockets and took off. 

It all came apart on lap 5.  The fatigue set in, and I felt like I was cracking.  I had to walk a few sections that I had been riding, and I just felt empty.  I kept pushing, and had to walk more than any other lap.  The pain caves were brutal, and I didn't think I could keep it rolling. 

As I bumbled down through the descent and onto the finishing stretch I looked at my watch and thought that I could get another lap in, so as soon as I did the dismount/wave/remount/sprint shuffle I locked out the fork and pinned it to get to the top of the first climb. 

I'd been pounding GU trying to fuel back up, and I knew that the course was only getting worse, so my goal was to ride the technical sections as smooth as possible and to ride all of the climbs no matter how much they hurt.  As I made my way to the top of the second climb the Embro guy caught me.  He wasn't quite motoring, but he was riding quickly enough that I couldn't stay on his wheel.  It was still raining, and he was still not wearing gloves, though honestly I was getting pretty sick of mine at that point as well. 

My lines were smooth and I rode every technical section smoothly, except one.  The wet, sketchy, dual fall line (off-camber) downhills ate my lunch all day, and they continued to frustrate me to the end.  I have no idea how anyone got down them with any speed without being scared shitless.   

As I apexed the corner at the bottom of the last turn I jumped out of the saddle and surged up the short hill towards the finish line.  In my head it was like Rocky, but to the spectators on the side of the trail it was probably more like watching sea turtles coming out of the water and up onto the beach. 

I crossed the finish line 6 minutes too late for my last lap to count, so I only got credit for 5 full laps.  If I had managed to trim off 6 minutes (which over 6 hours is very possible) I would have been 7th rather than 10th. 

Given the terrible conditions and unsure of my form I think 10th is a solid result.  My bike was in rough shape, but the chain is still usable and the brakes still worked.  Remarkably I didn't have a single shifting issue all day, which is a testament to the engineering of SRAM's 10 speed offroad drivetrain. 

The RSL performed beautifully and gave me a stable platform and predictable handling to navigate the very slick parcourse.  Whenever the bike slid it was always controlled, and I felt very confident. 

Maybe I wasn't going fast enough.

Another Step Closer

The weekend worked out in what has become the new normal standard, which is to say that my initial plan went completely out the window.  Still, I made some progress and think I made some good on-the-fly decisions.

The weather was pretty bad over the weekend, and bad enough for me to decide not to race on Sunday.  After Saturday's damp preride of the course at Catamount I decided that for a variety of factors the best call was to not race.  The track was rideable early, but with another inch of rain in the forecast for the next 24 hours it would only get much, much worse.  

Yesterday I got the wheels laced up for the RSL.  I went with my King ISO disc hubs with silver spokes, silver alloy nipples and Crest 29'er rims, which is basically a bigger version of the wheels currently on the YBB.

So here's a shot of the YBB post hosedown, pre clean, adjust & lube.  As I'm planning to get the RSL rolling this week I wanted to give this bike some attention as it is sure to get neglected. 

Evidence

In case you were wondering, I'm a tire geek.  This is a selection of my active rotation of racing and training tires for the YBB.  The RSL is of course a 29er, so that will require another quiver. 

Each of these tires was weighed, then scrubbed to remove excess sealant and is drying before being weighed again.  Did that make them any lighter?  No, but I had to try. 

Review- Kenda Blue Groove

The Kenda Blue groove is one of the many tires options in Kenda's John Tomac signature series.  I really like the Small Block 8 and Nevegal, so I was eager to try out the Blue Groove.  I wasn't disappointed.

Reviews for wider tires abound the web, but I haven't found many focused on the 26 x 2.0 Stick-E version.  Although all sizes share similarities, a 2.3 all mountain tire does not necessarily translate well into a narrower, lightweight 2.0 for XC applications. 

My XC endurance racing needs usually dictate that I run tires that are 1.95" to 2.1", and the Blue Grooves fall squarely within that range.  The casing is square-ish like the ever popular Nevegal, but instead of having ramped knobs the main tread features a two-step leading edge.  These two attributes and moderate volume give the Blue Groove its unique characteristics, and foreshadow its on-trail performance.

As I've mentioned in other tire reviews casing shape has a lot to do with the way a tire performs.  A parabolic tire like the Small Block 8 only places the very center of the tread in contact with the ground until it's leaned over in a turn.  Round tires like the Karma put a little more rubber on the ground when riding in a straight line.  A square profile like the Nevegal makes a much wider contact patch that contributes to a very stable feeling with smooth transitions from outside edge to outside edge because of the amount of tire in contact with the ground. 

The square profile makes the tire stable, but the downside is that it can make the tire roll slowly because of the amount of rubber it's pushing along.  In cases where the terrain is soft or loamy, this profile does well because of its stability, and the square-edged two step knobs accentuate that.  Rounder tires may have less rolling resistance, but it's often so soft and slick that their lack of grip makes them irrelevant.    Those conditions are also muddy or sticky, and the open tread on the Blue Groove does well to stay clear.

With all of that in mind, the tire does well where I'd expect it to, and favors soft to muddy conditions.  It's not a full-on mud tire, and although it excels in mud it is much more versatile than many other mud-specific options.  

With the amount of rain we've gotten in Vermont I've been running these tires a lot.  Amazingly there are still some places where the trails are dry and rocky, and in those instances the Blue Groove was sufficient, but I could feel that it was rolling more slowly than a true hardpack tire like the SB8.  The square edged lugs didn't squirm, but the square leading edges tended to slip on rocks and exposed roots.  The volume was also fine but didn't offer the same confidence-inspiring centering bounce that comes with a wider casing. 

Overall these tires do very well in soft conditions, and offer great stability and traction.  In my mind these are a great addition to the quiver for days when you're sure to have mud but still need a reasonably fast rolling option.  They're also more versatile than a standard mud tire and won't let you down if the terrain is firmer than you'd expected.  When things dry out and firm up they can still run, but they're outpaced by faster rolling options with more volume.

In my race tire quiver the Blue Groove sits on the outside of the range covering moderately soft to full-on muddy conditions.  The round profiled and higher volume Karma with its slightly shorter knobs sits in the middle as the versatile all-rounder, and the Small Block 8 is the hardpack speed demon.  

On the scale both tires weigh in exactly at their claimed 460 grams, and their light weight belies their relative toughness and great climbing ability. 

The Blue Groove is a great tire, and damp trails are in the forecast it is my weapon of choice.  For more information visit www.kendausa.com. 

Review- Kenda Nevegal 26 x 1.95

I'm a self-professed tire geek, and having access to Kenda's full product range has been a dream come true. Kenda makes many models and in a variety of sizes and although you can get the popular Karma, Nevegal and Small Block 8 models from most distributors it can be hard to find the exact width and casing configuration you're looking for.

The Kenda Nevegal comes in many size offerings, and the 26 x 1.95 is my favorite. The web is littered with Nevegal reviews, but everything I could find was for the wider 26" models or the 29 x 2.2". So, here are my thoughts on the 1.95 version.

First of all, these are awesome tires, and the 26 x 1.95 is the narrowest and correspondingly lightest option. I consider them the "Diet Nevegals" as they offer most of the ride with 35% less weight...or something like that.

I first rode the 2.1 version and liked their predictable handling and deceptively smooth roll for such a wide and knobby tire. Still, at over 600 grams they were a little too heavy for regular XC use and I could feel that on faster pedaling sections I was working a little harder than I needed to. The 2.1 is worth a look when things get slimy in really thin, slick mud and maintaining your line and keeping momentum is more important that fast rolling.

With that positive experience I figured a slightly narrower and lighter version would make a great option; it has been nothing short of amazing. I rode most of my early season on a set of these and only on a couple of occasions in very dry or very wet conditions did I wish I made a different choice. While I won't say that this tire is excellent at everything it is very predictable in all conditions.

This tire is best suited to intermediate terrain- if it's super dry hardpack then the Small Block 8 is a better option, and if it's very slick or muddy then a Karma or Blue Groove would be preferrable, but in pretty much everything else the Nevegal is the king. For sandy and loamy trails with rocks and slick roots it doesn't get any better than this tire.

The ramped and semi-soft Stick-E rubber treadblocks are good at balancing rolling with traction and make what would otherwise be a blocky tire roll well.  The profile of this tire is pretty square, meaning that the contact patch is pretty wide and more of the outer lugs are in contact with the ground when rolling straight.  Because more of these lugs are on the ground it really helps that they're ramped. 

This wide lugged contact patch is part of what defines these tires and where most of their stability comes from.  When the conditions change quickly there's a reassuring amount of rubber on the ground that produces inspiring amounts of traction. 

The downside of that stability is of course slower rolling.  On twisty courses I've been able to stay with riders on smoother tires because I can carry more speed through the corners, but if the terrain involves long climbs or extended grass sections you'll end up working harder than necessary with the Nevegal. 

As I mentioned above these are great tires and a very good addition to any racer or rider's tire quiver.  They're my do-it-all tire and what I run when I'm heading out to ride unfamiliar terrain or in variable conditions.  The stability and predictability make them capable in literally every condition, but best suited to those in the middle.  Hardcore racers will want to run something smoother on true hardpack or in deep mud, but for technical terrain or unknown course conditions this tire is unbeatable. 

For more information visit www.kendausa.com. 

Slow Progress and Some Upgrades

March is progressing deliberately, and the snow is retreating a barely perceptible pace.  The roads are reasonably dry, but the temperature has been below freezing.

New motivation arrived today in the form of some new Kendas- Small Block 8s and Karmas for my upcoming Moots RSL 29er, and a fresh set of Kalientes for my road bike.  I've posted a review of the Kaliente here.

For now I'll buff out my road bike a little bit with new tires and some white tape.  The RSL isn't due to arrive until next month, so this is going to be my aperitif until then.   
 

Absalon Video- New Mavic Wheel Testing

Review- Kenda Kaliente

This season I put in several thousand miles on the road, and most of them were on the Kenda Kaliente tires pictured above. I wore out three Sram chains but rode only one set of Kalientes, and all without a single flat tire.

The Kaliente is a pretty standard 700 x 23c clincher tire that was the top of the Kenda road line until the recent introduction of the C2C, Konstrictor and Kaliente Pro. It features a puncture resistant belt under the tread and a remarkable sub 200 gram weight. They're also remarkably inexpensive and can be found online for as little as $30 each.

The Obama stimulus package meant that there was a lot of road construction this summer and many of my long rides were on long stretches of gravel and broken pavement. Almost all of these sections were in fairly remote areas where a sliced tread or torn sidewall would have been catastrophic, and the Kalientes handled these conditions with aplomb.

There is one downside of a lightweight, high mileage, cost-effective tire and that is slight compromise in ride quality. Many of the online reviews I've read about the Kaliente echo that sentiment. It's not unduly harsh, but it is noticeably less smooth rolling on pavement than a Konstrictor or one of the Michelin Axial Series.

But to compare the Kaliente to a much more expensive performance clincher is unfair especially when the more supple Axial would have most likely punctured on the aforementioned broken pavement. In my mind the Kaliente is best described as a raceable training tire that is comfortable absorbing thousands of training miles but also ducking into an occasional group ride or practice crit. Its resistance to wear also makes it a great tire for switching back-and-forth from indoor miles on rollers or a trainer and riding outside.

When you consider its price to performance ratio it's really an incredible option as it punches far above its weight and is competitive with training tires costing much more. The pair I purchased in March are still in service as dedicated indoor tires as shown above.

For more information check out www.kendausa.com.

Julien Absalon, Part 2

I ran across this video whilst geeking out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/world_olympic_dreams/8823051.stm

What strikes me is what his mechanic says about his tires- there are 10 different sets to choose from with varying widths and compounds. That's quite a tire quiver.

Moots YBB X0 10 Speed

Here it is after I got the 10 speed kit installed. I went for the all black version of the X0 kit with the exception of the XX crank which I chose for its narrower 155 q factor. I also went for a KMC X10SL-Ti chain which has performed amazingly well in my brief tests.

The ti frame is very subtle, and the black gruppo adds to the understated nature of the bike. The two things that pop are the white Ergon GX1 grips and my gold KMC chain. I've also gone with some alt placement for my pro-35 stickers which hopefully doesn't make it look hokey or overdone.

My initial impressions of the group are very good. I went for a couple short rides over the weekend and had to relearn the gear spacing. The 2x is great for racing, but I'm still figuring out which gears to use when I would have normally been in the 32t middle ring up front but have to choose a 26 or 39 up front.

Review- Kenda Karma

Tires are something that I obsess over. Weight, rolling resistance, casing, size, pressure, and course conditions all contribute to defining what makes the ideal tire on a given day. Sheldon Brown said that tires affect ride quality more than frame material, and I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with him.

This will be the first of many tire reviews that I'll be posting, with several tutorials about what makes a good tire along the way.

This post is about the Kenda Karma. The particular model that I've ridden is the 26 x 2.0 Stick-E version.
The Karma is a well-known and respected tire. The tread pattern is a fairly simple square block pattern, but that's only a small part of what makes this tire a good one.

To be fair, Kenda is a sponsor of mine, and their tires have been a great asset. I've enjoyed their support for two seasons now and have been grateful to have access to their full catalog of models and sizes.

The Karma is a fairly round casing with low, reasonably spaced and square-edged knobs. The round casing means that it takes the middle ground of rolling resistance between parabolic (like the Small Block 8) and square (like the Nevegal) tire profiles. That means it's lugs hit the ground when leaned over marginally and strike a 50/50 compromise between grip and rolling resistance.

The square knobs do well in soft soil as they provide consistent bite. The round shape keeps the center and some of the outside knobs in contact with the ground to provide moderate traction in softer conditions without putting too much rubber on the ground to slow things down.

There are no special cornering knobs, so you really need to lean these over to feel like the outer treads are working for you.

In mud these tires are decent at normal pressures but better at lower pressures. I found that I was the most comfortable on them at 3-5 psi below my normal 28-32 psi range. When run at 20-25 up front these provided decent cornering traction and good rolling resistance, but if I were in consistently slick conditions with lots of corners I'd probably choose something else (like the Nevegal 1.95 or Blue Groove 1.95- look for reviews on these shortly).

In pure hardpack these tires were predicatable and spun up fast because of their low weight, but they felt like they skated slightly at higher speeds when I would have liked to get a bit more grip. Again they were fine, but if I were rolling on pure hardpack I would prefer the excellent Small Block 8 instead.

So what are these tires good at? Well, they're good in intermediate conditions, especially in soft, loamy soil when climbing is a big part of the agenda. Their light weight makes them spin up very easily and the lack of mass is palpable when climbing. The downside of that is that the light sidewalls are less resistant to sidewall cuts than heavier tires, so if you ride in rocky terrain you might want to run something more substantial. The round casing does well to keep just the center knobs in contact with the ground when pedaling a straight line, and the square knobs do well in softer soil where they can bite. The knobs are fairly shallow keeping the rolling resistance reasonable and they're spaced far enough apart that they clear mud easily.

At the rain-soaked Bromont World Cup in 2009 I noticed that Nino Schurter ran a Karma (with the logos blacked out) as a front tire. They aren't a pure mud tire, but they are predictable and a reasonably good jack-of-all trades option.

In short these are great intermediate ties. In my perfect tire quiver they sit between the Nevegal (for moderate t0 wet/loose conditions) and the Small Block 8 (pure hardpack) and provide predictable traction in most conditions. These are a great choice for intermediate conditions that will feature a bit of everything, especially soft, loamy soil. Hills are easier due to their light weight, but be cautious of sharp rocks as they can be cut fairly easily.

More information is available at www.kendausa.com.